ambler



(N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet '1.

A. A. AMBLER. MACHINE FOR UOILING ANGULAR SPRINGS.

Patented July 14, 1896.

20672287", .QKWMW M W we Nan awns co (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2'.

A. A. AMBLER. MACHINE FOR 001mm ANGULAR SPRINGS.

' Patented Jul-y 14, 1896.

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'mm WW UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

ARTHUR A. AMBLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR TO THE TITLE ANDIMPROVEMENT COMPANY. OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR COILING ANGULAR SPRINGS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 563,835, dated July 14,1896.

Application filed July 8,1895. Serial No. 555,382. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR A. AMBLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Machine forOoilin g Angular Springs, which are fully set forth in the followingspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part thereof.

This machine is designed for the purpose of manufacturing springs coiledfrom wire or rod, not circularly, but in such manner that a plan of eachcoil is a regular polygon iiistead of a circle. The most useful form ofsuch spring is square, and the machine illustrated is con structed formaking such springs, but the modifications which would adapt it formaking triangular or other regular polygonal springs willbe obvious.Such springs cannot be formed by the ordinary process of coiling arounda polygonal mandrel, as circular springs are formed by coiling around acylindrical mandrel, because the recoil of the wire or red between theangles as soon as the strain of the coiling'ceases would immediatelythrow all the angles out of line and defeat the purpose of the angularform. The characteristics of this invention, therefore, are chiefly suchas overcome this diiiiculty.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sec tion of my machine, axialwith respect to the mandrel and at right angles to the direction of theincoming rod. Fig. 2 is a detail plan 5 showin g the hammers or rods intheir proper relation to the mandrel and spring, the table andshield-cap being broken away to show one side of the hammer-operatingcam below. Fig. 3 is a detail section at the line 3 3 on Fig. 2, theclenching-dies and hammers and the levers which operate them beingomitted. Fig. 4 is a section at the line 4 at, showing a plan of thetrain which gives the endwise thrust to the mandrel. Fig. 5 is a detailvertical section of a mandrel and wire coiled thereon, thegripping-tongs being shown in elevation. Fig. 6 is a perspective of ablock which may be employed to receive the first stroke or pressure ofthe hammers on two sides of the mandrel before the wire is fully coiledonce around the latter.

A is the base, which is adapted to rest upon the floor, portions of themachine extending below.

A A are standards extending up from the base and supporting at the upperend the table B, which has bearings for the hammeroperating links andlevers and other parts, as hereinafter described. In one of thestandards A is journaled the shaft 0 of the gear 0, which meshes withand drives the gear O on the vertical shaft 0, which is journaled in alug A projecting from the standard A, and also at a in the base A. Thisshaft extends below the base and obtains a further bearing 6 5 in theplate 01' gear-frame D, which has the remainder of the bearings for thetrain which operates the screw to give the endwise thrust to themandrel.

E is the mandrel-shaft, which extends vertically at the center of themachine, being journaled at the center of the base A and at the centeralso of the table 13, and having feathered connection with the largegear E", which meshes with and is driven by a pinion C fast on the shaft0' above the base A. The hub of this gear-wheel E is journaled in thecentral boss A of the base A and constitutes a slide-bearing for theshaft E. It is stopped by its shoulder E upon the upper side of thecentral boss A and by the collar E, which is made fast to its lower end,which protrudes through the base A.

A is a cylindrical hanger or sleeve which has at the upper end theflange A by which it is secured fast to the under side of the base A.The shaft E obtains bearin g on said sleeve below said base A. Thishanger has at its upper end the cavity of to accommodate the collar EThe plate or gear-frame D is se- 93 cured to the lower end of thishanger A the hanger having a suitable flange A for that purpose. On thisframe D are mounted the gears D, D and D the last gear of which, D isinteriorly threaded at the center and 5 operates as a nut or screw-blockto cooperate with the thrust-screw d which is screwed through it andactuated endwise by-the rotation of the gear. This thrustscrew d isjournaled in the frame D and also in the yoke D which is suspended fromthe frame below the train of gears and made rigid with the frame by thesuspending-bolt d. The upper end of the thrust-screw d has a flange (1whose diameter is equal to that of the shaft E, and lugs (Z (1projecting at opposite points from the flange, which take into grooves ain opposite sides of the bore of the sleeves A so that as the shaft isthrust upward it is guided by the engagement of said lugs (Z in saidgrooves. Above the flange 61 the shaft 01 enters a socket e in the lowerend of the shaft E, and a portion which thus enters the shaft has anannular groove 61 into which segmental splines e c are adapted to enter,the shaft E being provided with slots at opposite sides to receive thesplines,which are inserted after the thrustscrew shaft (1 has beeninserted in the socket of the shaft E. These splines enable thescrew-shaft d to pull down the shaft E as well as to thrust it upward.The splines may be secured in place by any convenient means, though theyare not liable to escape after the parts are entirely assembled, beingretained by the sleeve A. Above the bearing provided at B in the table Bfor the shaft E said shaft is reduced and squared at the portion E andin the form illustrated is also slightly tapered and receives the hollowmandrel G, which in cross-section and axial section corresponds to theform of the spring to be coiled, said spring being square with a slighttaper or gradual reduction of the coil from the bottom toward the top.It will be understood that as to the form, both in axial and transversesection, the mandrel and the reduced portion of the shaft on which it ismounted will be subject to modification, according to the form of thespring to be produced.

H H H H are hammers or dies mounted on carriages H H, &c., which arecarried upon the upper ends of links H and levers H respectively, whichare fulcrumed in suitable lugs B B &c., and B B 850., respectively, onthe table B, these lugs projecting from the under surface of the tableand the table be ing apertured to permit the links and levers H and H toprotrude upward through the table.

K is a cam rigid with the shaft E and having as many faces as there arehammers or dies and sides of the springs, which, in the presentdrawings, are four. The four levers H H &c., extend down to thehorizontal plane of this cam, and at their lower ends are provided with.rolls Z2 which bear against the cam-surface and adapt the cam toactuate the levers outward, according to the shape of the cam. Thesprings B B seat between the lugs b 11 and the bosses Z9 1),respectively, on the under side of the table B, and by their reactionfrom compression tend to hold the rolls 1) at the lower end of thelevers H againstthe cams, and to cause them, therefore, to follow thecontour of the cam as the latter revolves. The cam-faces are shaped soas to give the carriages H a reciprocating motion, which will bepresently further explained in detail. The carriages are positivelyguided in this reciprocating motion between the parallel edges of thequadrant caps L L L Z, (the last of which differs from the other threein a respect hereinafter explained) which are mounted upon the top ofthe table B.

The ends of the hammers H H H H may be provided with a groovecorresponding to the form of the rod which is being coiled, or they maybe fiat, as preferred. If they have grooves, it is evident that the foursides of a coil of the square spring in the process of formation-mustnot be all at the same level, but must have the inclination and berespectively set at the level of the side of the coil which is to bestruck or pressed. The carriages may, however, be made identical in formand level, the hammers being adjusted on them, as the case may require,according to the pitch of the spring. As illustrated, opposite hammersare made alike, but with the groove in such relation to the plane of theseat 7L, provided for the hammer on the carriage, that by mounting thehammers in reverse positions on the opposite carriages, respectively,the level of the grooves is made to dif' fer, as required, by the pitchof the spring. Ordinarily,hammers may be adjusted by thin washersinterposed between them and their seats on the carriages, and, in fact,ordinary flat-headed hammers requiring no adjustment but only sufficientbreadth to cover all ordinary ranges of pitch of the spring serve everypurpose.

The rod or wire to be coiled is gripped to the mandrel in a manner whichwill now be described. The end of the rod is given a right-angle bend,which constitutes the first angular bend of the spring and adapts therod to be applied to one end of the mandrel. The side of the mandrelagainst which the offset end is lodged has a notch G, and themandrel'extends above the shaft E the full extent of the depth of thisnotch. Grip-tongs are made, as shown in Fig. 5, whose jaws M M areadapted to grip between them the rod thus coiled, the jaws coming to afeatheredge at a plane which exposes the surface of the rod, as seen atm in Fig. 5. The jaws are crossed and pivoted together by the pintle Mwhich projects at both sides, the distance between the projecting pintleand the rod which is grasped between the jaws being equal to thethickness of the wall of the mandrel, and the handles M M are bent upnear enough to the pintle so that the heel m is within the mandrel,being above the squared end of the shaft G. Suitable means, such as thelink M being provided to secure the upper ends of the handles together,making the jaws grip tightly the bent end of the rod, the tongs thusgripping the rod are inserted in the square opening of the upper end ofthe mandrel, the rod passing outside and the pintle passing inside ofthe notched side of the mandrel, the jaws lodging in the notch G and thehandles extending upward above the square opening, as described. The rodthus runs in against one face of the mandrel adjacent to the notchedface, and in order to hold it firmly, so that the rotation of themandrel will bend it around the next angle, a guide and check roller Nis provided journaled on astem N, which is secured upon the top of oneof the quadrant caps Z. This roller has a flange N at its upper edge,which overhangs the rod as it runs into the mandrel, and it will be setso that its groove and flange together properly guide the rod to themandrel, the rod being supported 011 the under side, if necessary, by aneccentric cam N on a shaft 7L, mounted in the lugs Z" on the under sideof the top web of the quadrant Z and adapted to be adjusted by a key orhandle at the end which protrudes through the vertical wall or standardZ of said quadrant-cap. The rod being secured to the mandrel, asdescribed, and the machine put in operation, the mandrel revolvingcontinuously folds the rod around it, and during each quarter-turn thehammers are given one reciprocation by the cam K, assisted by theretracting-springs E the cam being so set on its shaft with its faces sorelated to the faces of the mandrel that the hammers are each driven tothe innermost limit of their stroke at the instant that the faces of themandrel respectively are parallel with the heads of the hammers, or, inthe structure shown, at right angles with the stroke of the hammers. Thecam-faces are so shaped that immediately after giving the full pressureto the rod at said inner limit of the stroke of the hammers the latterare quickly withdrawn, so that the mandrel, revolving continuously, isnot especially impeded by the presence of the hammers, notwithstandingthat the latter are all at the same instant giving their utmost pressureto the four sides of the coil on the mandrel, and are theoretically,therefore, holding the mandrel at absolute rest for that instant. Inorder that the strokes or pressure of the hammer on the two sides aboutwhich the wire is folded at the commencement of the operation may becompensated by the strokes or pressure of the hammers on the oppositesides, respectively, before the wire has folded about said oppositesides, I prefer to interpose any convenient filling'piece to take theplace of the wire on the two vacant sides and receive the strokes of thehammers on those sides. In Fig. 6 I have represented a corner-block P,which serves this purpose. The mode of its use will be obvious from itsform and the representation of its use in Fig. 5. It is merely placedupon the upper end of the mandrel during the first rotation, and may beremoved after one complete coil has been wound about all four sides ofthe mandrel. \Vhile the mandrel is thus revolving, it is also beingthrust endwise by the thrust-screw d operated by the train abovedescribed, the train being so constructed with respect to the rotaryspeed of the mandrel that the endwise thrust of the latter correspondsto the pitch of the spring to be coiled, carrying up in each rotationthe end of the rod, which is gripped to the mandrel, and all coilsalready formed the distance from center to center of successive coils.

When the spring to be coiled is tapering and requires a taperingmandrel, as shown, no other means for depressing the pitch of the springis necessary beside the means for determining the endwise thrust of themandrel. This thrust may be varied by substituting gears of differentsizes for the gear D, the intermediate gear D having its bearin suitablyadjusted in the slot (Z provided for that purpose in the frame D,according to a m ethod familiar in change-speed gear-trains. Therelative position vertically of the four hammers will be adjustedaccording to the pitch determined by the changegear train. No particularmeans of adjustment is shown and any suitable means may be employed, themere blocking up of the hammers different distances on the carriagesbeing an obvious and usually satisfactory one. As the tapering mandreladvances upwardly,the limit of the upward stroke of the hammers must bevaried accordingly, and for this purpose the cam has vertical tapercorresponding to that of the mandrel, but in the reverse direction thatis, narrowing downward-W11ereas the mandrel narrows upward, as isnecessary because the levers H whose upper ends carry the hammersinward, are actuated outward at their lower ends by the cams to producethe inward movement of the hammers.

The shape of the cam-faces mayin general be such as to produce a simplereciprocating motion of the hammersthat is to say, there must be aneccentric portion to force the lower ends of the levers outward as thecam revolves, and another eccentric portion to permit the levers toreturn inward as the rotation continues, such portions alternatingthroughout the entire circuit of the cam. In detail, however, it isdesirable that the outward movement, which gives the inward workingmovement to the hammers, shall, at least at the inward limit of thehammers stroke, be sufficiently gradual to be as powerful as possible,and it is more especially necessary that the portion which correspondsto and permits the retreating movement of the hammers shall be as abruptas possible, so that the hammers may withdraw from the mandrel aspromptly as possible when the work of their stroke is done. A furtherfeature in this cam is that intermediate of the two eccentric portions,one of which gives the inward thrust and the other of which permits theretreating movement of the hammers, I have located a noneccentricportionthat is, a portion which does not give or permit any movement tothe hammers while said portion is passing the end of the lever. Thepurpose of this construction is that whereas, at the completion of thehammers working stroke, the incoming rod is continuous with thelast-laid side of the last coil of the spring, and that thereafterimmediately, as the mandrels rotation continues, a new bond has to bemade in the wire around the angle of the mandrel. The severest strain insuch bending is experienced just after the bending commences and duringthe next sixty degrees of rotation of the mandrel, the point at whichthe wire is held against the guide-pulley being so related to to theadvancing corner of the mandrel around which the coil is being made thatthe strain becomes easier as the mandrel revolves through the remainingthirty degrees, which will bring the next corner of the mandrel to therod. In order to equalize the work of the machine throughout the en tireaction, therefore, I give the cam the concentric portion k occupyingfrom thirty to forty-five degrees,which will be in contact with thelevers II while the man drel is making the part of its rotation, whichinvolves the severest work, as above stated, and after that severestwork is passed the cams begin to do their work of moving the hammersinward. Each face of the cam, therefore, has three portions; 7c,eccentric in a direction to force the lower ends of the levers IIoutward; concentric and adapted to do no work upon the levers, and aportion 70 abruptly eccentric in a direction to permit the lower ends ofthe levers to return inward in obedience to the springs 13 If the springto be coiled were to be without taper longitudinally and would require astraight mandrel instead of the tapering mandrel shown, it would not inall cases be safe to rely upon the endwise thrust of the mandrel todetermine the pitch, because after several coils were wound the grip ofthe coils upon the straight mandrel might not be sufficient to producethe initial flexure of the rod at the point where it runs from theguideroll. I prefer, therefore, to provide means for determining thepitch independent of and supplemental to the thrust of the mandrel. Forthis purpose the bracket or arm N, in which the flanged roller N isjournaled, is secured to the top web of the quadrant-table Z by a screwM, which is inserted through the bracket-arm and screwed into the table,and another screw a inserted through the tail of the arm, impingesagainst the top of the table and is adapted to be protruded more or lessthrough the said arm. It will be understood that the corner n of thebracket, or any suitable point beyond the screw n toward the roller Nbearing upon the top of the table, the adjustment of the two screws nand n will control the angle at which the wheel N stands and the lead ofthe rod or wire as it enters the rod or mandrel, and thereby willcontrol the pitch of the spiral which is wound by the rotation of themandrel. I do not limit myself to this particular mode of adj usting thepitch or tilt of the roller, and many other simple modes will besuggested to any mechanic, but I claim the adjustability. of the pitchof the roller, by whatever means obtained, as the means for determiningthe pitch of the spring. It will be understood that the thrust of themandrel should be made to correspond with the adjustment of therol1ertl1at is, to produce the same pitch.

I have used the word hammer in the foregoing description to identify theplungers or pressure-dies which operate upon the wire or rod to force itagainst the mandrel; but it will be observed that the action is notneces sarily a blow, as distinguished from a pressure, and the wordhammer in the foregoing description and in my claims I do not design tohave understood in any sense so limited as not to include parts whichoperate bv pressure, as distinguished from a blow, since, in fact, theformer is the mode of action of the said devices, herein calledhammers."

I claim- 1. In a machine for coiling angular springs, in combinationwith an angular mandrel and means for rotating the mandrel to fold thewire or rod about the angles thereof successively; a hammer andmechanism for driving it against the wire or rod between the consecutiveangles of the mandrel and for withdrawing the hammer from the wire, saidmechanism being timed to cause the hammer to act upon and withdraw fromthe wire between the times of folding the latter about said con secutiveangles and to remain so withdrawn during the folding; substantiallyasset forth.

2. In a machine for coiling angular springs, in combination with anangular mandrel and means for rotating it to coil the wire or rodthereabout, two or more hammers adapted to be driven against the wire orrod on the mandrel, mechanism for driving them being so timed to actagainst adjacent sides simultaneously: substantially as set forth.

3. In a machine for coiling angular springs, in combination with theangular mandrel and means for holding the wire or rod to be coiledthereto, means for rotating the mandrel to fold the wire or rod aboutits angles successively; a hammer adapted to be driven against the rodor wire on the mandrel, and mechanism for so driving it timed withrespect to the rotary motion of the mandrel to bring the hammer home onthe wire or red at the instant when the mandrel-face is parallel withthe hammer-head: substantially as set forth.

4. In a machine for coiling angular springs, in combination with anangular mandrel and means for holding the wire or rod to be coiledthereto, and means for rotating the mandrel to fold the wire or redabout its angles successivel y, and means for advancing the mandrellongitudinally simultaneously with such ro tation; a hammer andmechanism adapted to drive it against the wire or rod on the mandrel,timed with respect to the rotary motion of the latter to bring thehammer-head against the wire between the times of folding said consecutive angles: substantially as set forth.

5. In a machine for coiling angular springs,

in combination with the angular mandrel and means for holding. thewireor red thereto, means for rotating the mandrel to fold the wire or rodabout its angles successively; a plurality of hammers and mechanism fordriving them toward the mandrel from different directions, oneof saidhammers being located and adapted to act against the wire between thelast angle folded and the incoming wire, and the remaining hammers beinglocated and adapted to act on the wire between the folded angles;whereby each angle is set by one hammer before the next angle is folded,and subsequently further set by successive blows of the other hammers:substantially as set forth.

6. In a machine for coiling angular springs, in combination with amandrel and means for rotating it to coil the wire thereabout, hammersadapted to be advanced toward the several faces of the mandrel, themechanism for so advancing it being timed so that opposite hammers makesimultaneously strokes, whereby the mandrel is relieved from sidewardpressure on account of the pressure of the hammers: substantially as setforth.

7. In a machine for coiling angular springs, in combination with themandrel, means for gripping the wire thereto, and means for rotating themandrel to coil the wire thereabout, and hammers adapted to be advancedfrom opposite directions toward the mandrel, means for so advancing themtimed to make the action of opposite hammers on the wire simultaneous:substantially as set forth.

8. In a machine for coiling spirals, a mandrel and means for holding theWire or rod to be coiled thereto, means for rotating the mandrel, incombination with mechanism for giving the mandrel positive longitudinalthrust simultaneously with its rotation, mechanism for varying saidrotary and endwise movein cuts of the mandrel with respect to each otherat will, to determine the pitch of the spiral: substantially as setforth.

9. In a machine for coiling angular springs, in combination with anangular mandrel, means for rotating it and means for thrusting itendwise, said means for producing said two movements of the mandrelbeing variable with respect to each other at will; means for grippingthe rod to be coiled to the mandrel, a hammer adapted to be advancedagainst the rod on the several faces of the mandrel, to fix the anglesof the coils: substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In a machine for coiling springs, a vertical mandrel and means forholding the wire or rod to be coiled thereto, and means for rotating themandrel, in combination with a fixed guide for the wire or rod to becoiled, and mechanism for giving the mandrel positive endwise thrustduring its rotation: substantially as set forth.

11. In a machine for coiling springs, avertical mandrel and means forrotating it, and means for holding the wire or rod to be coiled theretowhereby its rotation effects the coilment toward and from the mandrel, acamwheel rotated by the mandrel shaft having camsections correspondingin number to the mandrel-faces and hammers, the levers fulcrumed on theframe connected to the 11ammers. respectively and exposed to the actionof the cam-wheel, said cam-wheel being constructed and adapted in itsseveral parts to advance the hammers toward the mandrel simultaneously:substantially as set forth.

13. In a machine for coiling angular springs, in combination with atapered mandrel,means for rotating it and means for thrusting itlongitudinally; hammers adapted to be advanced toward it to set theangles of the spring coiled thereon, the cam which actuates said hammerscarried by the mandrel-shaft in its longitudinal movement and taperedcorrespondingly to the mandrel: substantially as set forth.

14:. In a machine for coiling springs, the mandrel having the notch Gand a recess in. its upper end, in combination with the tongs havingtheir jaws adapted to lodge in the notch and protrude therefromlaterally and grip the wire lying on the outer surface of the mandrel,the pintle of the tongs projecting at both sides and adapted to engagebehind the mandrel-wall, whereby said wall is embraced between thepintle on the inner side thereof and the rod or Wire of the spring onthe outer side; the handles of said tongs extending upward from thepintle within the horizontal compass of the mandrel: substantially asset forth.

15. In a machine for coiling springs, the base A and the sleeve-hanger Arigid therewith and extending downwardly therefrom, and the gear-frame Dsecured to the lower end of the hanger, the vertical shaft E journaledat the center of the base, the gear E feathered on said shaft andjournaled in the base, the shaft 0 journaled in the base and in thegear-frame D, a pinion on said shaft which drives the gear E, and a gearon the same shaft which drives the train on the gearframe D, said trainterminating in the gear D the screw-shaft (Z screwed through the hub ofsaid gear and having swivel connection with the shaft E, whereby arotary movement and an endwise-thrustingmovement are communicated tosaid shaft E: substantially as set forth.

16. In combination substantially as set forth, the base A, the gear Eabove the base having its hub journaled in said base and the collar Esecured to the hub below the base, the sleeve-hanger A flanged attheupper end and provided with a cavity to accommodate the collar, andbolted to the base beyond the collar; the shaft E, feathered to the gearE and journaled in the sleeve-hanger; the gearbraeketD secured to thelower end of the hangerand the train thereon adapted to give the shaftan endwise thrust: substantially as set forth.

' 17. In combination substantially as set forth, the shaft E and thesleeve-hanger A I in which the shaft is journaled, the screwshaft (1 andthe gear screwed onto it and adapted by rotating to drive it endWise,the upperend of said screw-shaft being swiveled to the end of the shaftG, and provided with the lugs c1 the sleeve-hanger having grooves aadapted to receive said lugs to prevent the sereW-shaft from rotatingWhile it is thrust endwise: substantially as set forth.

' 18. In combination substantially as set forth, the screwrshaft (1 theshaft E and its bearings; the screw-shaft being inserted in a socket-atthe lower end of the shaft E and provided With an annular groove Withinsaid socket, and splines c inserted laterally in the shaft E andentering said groove.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of twowitnesses, at Chicago, Illinois, this 27th day of June, 1895.

ARTHUR A. AMBLER.

lVitnesses I I G. A. Gonrscn,

V ,CHAS. S. BURTON.

